Welcome to summer. It’s going to be a big one.

It doesn’t feel much like the first day of summer. In fact, it’s felt rather apocalyptic today with all the predictions from the Bureau of Meteorology.

The weather will undoubtedly improve and with it will come the seasonal influx of visitors wanting to explore, enjoy and relax in Geelong and The Bellarine.

The season really kicked off last weekend with Queenscliff Music Festival and the Geelong Revival Motoring Festival filling streets, venues and accommodation across both locations. The Matildas Australian women’s soccer team played at GMHBA Stadium and the Archibald Prize at Geelong Gallery continued to attract visitors from near and far.

Events are a vital part of our visitor economy and are helping drive much of the growth we’re seeing in our travel data.

We’re making a concerted effort to work with event organisers to capitalise on the opportunities they create. We’re providing content for Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race participants, commentators and spectators to make sure we’re leveraging the exposure that such a huge event generates.

We’re working on content that will boost attendance at other summer events like the Portarlington Mussel Festival and Festival of Sails, encouraging attendees to stay longer, explore further and come back again.

We’re also expecting five cruise ships this season, bringing more than 4,500 passengers and crew. The first, the Regatta, will arrive on 16 December.